News: Qatar, Palin as Zsa Zsa, 'Dirty' Rowe and Eruption

Activists have come out against FIFA for giving Russia and Qatar the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. "Both countries have very poor human rights records," said Peter Tatchell. “Sport should never be allowed to trump human rights. FIFA have put their corporate interests before the well being of the people of Russia and Qatar.”

Mehdi Hasan at New Statesman wonders whether gay and other protests over the World Cup decision lead to Qatarphobia.

Actress Amber Heard, who appeared as Seth Rogen's girlfriend in Pineapple Express, was also at the GLAAD event and apparently is out and proud. "I personally think that if you deny something or if you hide something you’re inadvertently admitting it’s wrong," she told AfterEllen. "I don’t feel like I’m wrong. I don’t feel like millions of people are wrong because they love who they love or they were born how they were born."

Rumor has it Robert Downey Jr. will co-star in a musical-comedy about two Broadway writers who find inspiration at a summer theater camp.

Villagers have been evacuated after Ecuador's "Throat of Fire" volcano began spewing magma today. Now, how many lewd jokes can you make out of that one?

Gay singer Lance Bass will reportedly write a screenplay about his and former model Cheryl Tiegs' Mexican road trip to Girls Gone Wild host Joe Francis' wedding. It sounds preposterous, yes, but then you think about it a little more and realize this has the makings of a genius comedy: To Wong Foo meets The Hangover?

New York's Senate now has a Republican majority after a state Justice declared Jack Martins the winner in an electoral recount. Democrats, however, remain in control of the governorship and Assembly. Deadlock forever!

Will ignoring Sarah Palin deplete her power? Charles M. Blow thinks so, and describes her as the "Zsa Zsa Gabor of politics." "She once did something noteworthy, but she’s now just famous for being famous." Maybe so, but she still has quite a devoted fanbase.

Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe, one of the funniest, dreamiest television personalities around, appeared on NPR's Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! today to answer, once and for all, "Is Mr. Clean gay?"

"When I got involved in politics, I told people I wanted to put Christian conservatives in leadership positions," explains John Cook, a member of Texas' State Republican Executive Committee, on why he won't support a Jewish state house speaker. "I got into politics to put Christian conservatives into office. They're the people that do the best jobs over all." Wow. Just wow.

I've said it many times that Jewish embrace of right wing xtianistas because they "support Israel" and tourist $$$$ to Israel will come back and bite Jews in the ass

texas= case in point and the xtianistas will only get worse

the xtianistas hate all kinds first (particularly gays) but always end up revealing their hate of Jews eventually

Posted by: mstrozfckslv@yahoo.com | Dec 4, 2010 6:20:19 PM

In reality, neocons and other jews are an extreme minority of jews in the states. The overwhelming majority of jews are liberal democrats. And this is a good of why they aren't republicans.

Posted by: TANK | Dec 4, 2010 6:32:36 PM

a good reminder...very good.

Posted by: TANK | Dec 4, 2010 6:33:06 PM

Nyah Nyah Nyah...MY Sky Fairy is better than your Sky Fairy...

John Cook is a 33rd Degree MORON who needs a texas-sized ass-whoopin!!!

Posted by: New Jersey Boi | Dec 4, 2010 7:06:58 PM

The ONLY reason why KKKRistians support the State of Israel is because in their sicko Armaggedon philosphy, the Temple of Solomon MUST BE REBUILT before Armaggedon can occur. It's one of the signs - doncha' know *wink!

Kinda hard for THAT to happen when a MOSQUE sits atop Solomon's temple.

See - KKKRistians can't even destroy the world without a good dose of insanity!

Posted by: New Jersey Boi | Dec 4, 2010 7:10:42 PM

I've never seen "Dirty Jobs", but I've seen those Ford commericals Mike Rowe is doing. He is hot...and he seems like a great guy.

Posted by: Terry | Dec 4, 2010 7:17:28 PM

i have a couple of "dirty" jobs mike rowe could tackle. yummers.

Posted by: nic | Dec 4, 2010 10:02:26 PM

zsa zsa doesn't deserve the insult

Posted by: shanesoho | Dec 5, 2010 12:30:51 AM

So much has been said recently by politicians that they vote, act, and support based on their Christian beliefs. I am very confused as to why this is allowed to continue? The Constitution CLEARLY calls for a separation of church and state and it's the reason most early immigrants came to the US. If they want to argue the constitution to discriminate against people, then why isn't there a government watch dog slapping each of these fools back into place? Pray to whomever you want to pray to, but it really has no place in their job whatsoever.

Posted by: Tim | Dec 5, 2010 7:42:12 AM

i'm living in qatar now & the response to Fifa's announcement has been excitement. Qataris really want to show the world they can be a bridge between the West and Arab world. They want the world to discover them. It will be very interesting if people (non diplomats) with Israeli stamps on their passports will be allowed into a Gulf state, for example. And there's discussion of opening up a "free zone" where people can drink and party and not disturb the traditionalists. They've got a dozen years of planning to work the kinks out. Fifa's choice, while probably involving amazing bribes, nevertheless was meant to be a paradigm change, as was their decision for South Africa, too.